Transmitting Collision Alarms to a Remote Device

ABSTRACT

A mobile device receives a message wirelessly via a third-party wireless network. The message including an alert that a first well, which is a well being drilled, is in danger of colliding with a second well. The mobile device displays an announcement reflecting the alert on a remote graphical user interface of the mobile device.

BACKGROUND

Directional drilling operations typically allow for greater recovery ofhydrocarbons from reservoirs downhole. Drilling multiple directionalwells in the same area may increase the possibility of collisionsbetween boreholes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for drilling operations.

FIG. 2 illustrates a situation in which there is a danger of a collisionbetween a borehole being drilled and another borehole.

FIG. 3 illustrates a computer that executes software for performingoperations.

FIG. 4 illustrates components of an anti-collision workflow.

FIG. 5 illustrates the creation of a collision scan report.

FIG. 6 illustrates the transmission of the scan report.

FIG. 7 illustrates scan report processing.

FIG. 8 illustrates data flow in anti-collision processing.

FIGS. 9A-9C show examples of mobile devices receiving and displayingcollision alerts.

FIG. 10 shows a flow chart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of a system for drilling operations (or “drillingsystem”), illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a drilling rig 10 at thesurface 12, supporting a drill string 14. In one embodiment, the drillstring 14 is an assembly of drill pipe sections which are connectedend-to-end through a work platform 16. In alternative embodiments, thedrill string comprises coiled tubing rather than individual drill pipes.In alternative embodiments, the drilling system is sea based rather thanland based. In one embodiment, a drill bit 18 couples to the lower endof the drill string 14, and through drilling operations the bit 18creates a borehole 20 through earth formations 22 and 24. In oneembodiment, the drill string 14 has on its lower end a bottom hole (BHA)assembly 26 which comprises the drill bit 18, a logging tool 30 builtinto collar section 32, directional sensors located in a non-magneticinstrument sub 34, a downhole controller 40, a telemetry transmitter 42,and in some embodiments a downhole motor/rotary steerable tool 28.

In one embodiment, the downhole controller 40 controls the operation oftelemetry transmitter 42 and orchestrates the operation of downholecomponents. In one embodiment, the controller 40 processes data receivedfrom the logging tool 30 and/or sensors in the instrument sub 34 andproduces encoded signals for transmission to the surface via thetelemetry transmitter 42. In some embodiments telemetry is in the formof mud pulses within the drill string 14, and which mud pulses aredetected at the surface by a mud pulse receiver 44. Other telemetrysystems may be equivalently used (e.g., acoustic telemetry along thedrill string, wired drill pipe, etc.). In addition to the downholesensors, the system may include a number of sensors at the surface ofthe rig floor to monitor different operations (e.g., rotation rate ofthe drill string, mud flow rate, etc.).

In some embodiments, the data from the downhole sensors and the surfacesensors is processed for display, as described in United States PatentApplication Publication No. 2013/0186687, which is assigned to theassignee of the instant application. The processor components thatprocess such data may be downhole and/or at the surface. For example,one or more processors, including for example downhole controller 40, ina downhole tool may process the downhole data. Alternatively or inaddition, one or more processors either at the rig site and/or at aremote location may process the data. Moreover, the processed data maythen numerically and/or graphically displayed as described in UnitedStates Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0186687, referencedabove.

In one embodiment, a field computer 46 receives data transmitted to thesurface via the telemetry transmitter 42. In one embodiment, the fieldcomputer 46 processes some or all of the data transmitted via thetelemetry transmitter 42, as described below. In one embodiment, thefield computer 46 determines that the borehole 20 is in danger ofcolliding with a second borehole 202, as illustrated in FIG. 2, andsends a message to a mobile device 48 via one or more wirelessnetwork(s) 50. In one embodiment, the wireless network(s) 50 includesone or more cellular networks, one or more wireless wide area networks,one or more wireless local area networks, and/or one or more wirednetworks. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the wirelessnetwork(s) 50 is a third-party network, where a third-party network isowned by someone other than the owner or operator of the drilling systemillustrated in FIG. 1. For example, if the drilling system is owned byan oil service company, then the cellular telephone system may be athird-party network.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 3, the field computer 46comprises processor(s) 302. In one embodiment, the field computer 46also includes a memory unit 330, processor bus 322, and Input/Outputcontroller hub (ICH) 324. In one embodiment, the processor(s) 302,memory unit 330, and ICH 324 are coupled to the processor bus 322. Inone embodiment, the processor(s) 302 may comprise any suitable processorarchitecture. In one embodiment, the field computer 46 may comprise one,two, three, or more processors, any of which may execute a set ofinstructions in accordance with embodiments described herein.

In one embodiment, the memory unit 330 may store data and/orinstructions, and may comprise any suitable memory, such as a dynamicrandom access memory (DRAM). In one embodiment, the field computer 46also includes IDE drive(s) 308 and/or other suitable storage devices. Inone embodiment, a graphics controller 304 controls the display ofinformation on a display device 306.

In one embodiment, the input/output controller hub (ICH) 324 provides aninterface to input/output (I/O) devices or peripheral components for thefield computer 46. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 may comprise anysuitable interface controller to provide for any suitable communicationlink to the processor(s) 302, memory unit 330 and/or to any suitabledevice or component in communication with the ICH 324. In oneembodiment, the ICH 324 provides suitable arbitration and buffering foreach interface.

In one embodiment, the ICH 324 provides an interface to one or moresuitable integrated drive electronics (IDE) drives 308, such as a harddisk drive (HDD) or compact disc read only memory (CD ROM) drive, or tosuitable universal serial bus (USB) devices through one or more USBports 310. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 also provides an interface toa keyboard 312, a mouse 314, a CD-ROM drive 318, one or more suitabledevices through one or more firewire ports 316. In one embodiment, theICH 324 also provides a network interface 320 through which the fieldcomputer 46 can communicate with other computers and/or devices.

In one embodiment, the field computer 46 includes a machine-readablemedium that stores a set of instructions (e.g., software) embodying anyone, or all, of the methodologies for described herein. Furthermore,software may reside, completely or at least partially, within memoryunit 330 and/or within the processor(s) 302.

In one embodiment, an anti-collision workflow, illustrated in FIG. 4,includes an alert agent 402, which coordinates the other softwarecomponents in the anti-collision workflow.

In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a database (DB)404 that contains pertinent information about a drilling environment andwell planning and drilling-relate applications for accessing thatinformation. An example DB 404 is the ENGINEERING DATA MODEL™ availablefrom Halliburton. In one embodiment, DB 404 is a suite of well planningand drilling-related applications coupled to a database. In oneembodiment, DB 404 provides the well, wellbore, and survey data foranti-collision analysis.

In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a datamanagement service (DMS) 406, which allows drilling and other rigsitedata to be collected, transmitted, replicated, and managed in real time.An example DMS 406 is the INSITE® product available from HalliburtonEnergy Services, Inc.

In one embodiment, DMS 406 is a common platform that stores, transmits,and replicates data acquired from drilling systems. In one embodiment,DMS 406 allows replication of data between rig and office environments,allowing real time collaboration between teams and management of wellsite situations as they arise. In one embodiment, DMS 406 is the sourceof directional survey data for the anti-collision workflow. In oneembodiment, after an engineer enters and validates survey informationinto DMS 406, a formatted data transfer application (FDT) 408, thatcoordinates data transfer according to a standard, such as WITSML(“WITSML” is an abbreviation of “Wellsite information transfer standardmarkup language”), copies the data to the DB 404, which is the source ofdata for the anti-collision analysis, as described below. In oneembodiment, the FDT 408 writes the result of the anti-collision analysisfrom the DB 404 to the DMS 406 where it is stored for later use andreference.

In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a data transferapplication (DT) 410 that manages the transfer of data from multipledata source to multiple databases. An example DT 410 is theDECISIONSPACE® Data Server available from Landmark Graphics Corporation.In one embodiment DT 410 provides a uniform interface to access datafrom data stores such as DMS 406, DB 404, and OPENWORKS® (not shown)available from Landmark Graphics Corporation. In one embodiment, DT 410provides access to well, wellbore, and survey data from DB 404. In oneembodiment, FDT 408 uses DT 410 to write well, wellbore, and survey datainto DB 404.

In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes ananti-collision service 412 that creates a scan report that indicates howfar the well being drilled (e.g., borehole 20) is from its neighboringor offset wells (e.g., second borehole 202, see FIG. 2) usingconventional techniques, an example of which is described in PEARL CHULEDER, D. P. MCCANN, and A. HATCH, “New Real-Time Anticollision AlarmImproves Drilling Safety,” Society of Petroleum Engineers AnnualTechnical Conference & Exhibition 1995 (SPE 30692). In one embodiment,the scan report provides the safety factor among other information thatindicates the likelihood of a collision. In one embodiment, theanti-collision service 412 uses well information and survey data fromthe current well and survey data from the offset wells to compute thescan report. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 retrievesdata from the DB 404.

In one embodiment, an anti-collision advisor 414 is the front-endapplication that provides alerts of the possibility of a collisioncondition. In one embodiment, the anti-collision advisor 414 runs aspart of the drilling dynamics advisor (“DDA”) (not shown), which is amonitoring and advice application that provides alerts of real-timeevents that demand attention.

In one embodiment, a messaging service (MS) 416, such as an ACTIVEMQ®service available from The Apache Software Foundation, provides theability to exchange messages among the anti-collision workflowcomponents shown on FIG. 4 and among other processes and servicesrunning on the field computer 46.

In one embodiment, a configuration component 418 contains and managesthe configuration for the alert agent 402, DT 410, the anti-collisionservice 412, and MS 416, as indicated by the lines on FIG. 4.

In one embodiment of creating a collision scan report, illustrated inFIG. 5, MS 416 notifies the alert agent 402 that the survey for the wellbeing drilled in DB 404 has been modified. In one embodiment, a surveyprovides a three dimensional record of a path of a borehole (e.g.,borehole 20, see FIGS. 1 and 2, or second borehole 202, see FIG. 2)through the earth. In one embodiment, the current location of the drillbit 18 drilling borehole 20 or another part of the bottom hole assembly26 is reported through telemetry and is stored in DB 404 as part of thesurvey for borehole 20. In one embodiment, upon receiving notificationthat the survey for the well being drilled has changed, the alert agent402 invokes the anti-collision service 412 to generate a scan report forthe survey. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 readssurvey data for the well being drilled and for offset wells from DB 404,performs an anti-collision analysis, produces a scan report (or“collision report”) 502. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service412 returns the scan report 502 to the alert agent 402.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, the alert agent 402 reviewsthe scan report 50 to determine if it is the same as the most recentscan report that it received from the anti-collision service 412. In oneembodiment, this is done to avoid sending duplicate scan reports to theanti-collision advisor 414.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 7, the anti-collision advisor 414reads the newly arrived scan report 502 and displays it on a displaydevice, such as display device 306. In one embodiment, if there is analarm condition in the scan report 502, the anti-collision advisorcauses indications of the alarm to appear on the display device andsends an alarm to an alarm server 702, which in one embodiment is acomponent of DMS 406.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 8, the interoperation of theanti-collision processes includes a flow of survey data, represented bythe solid lines, a flow of anti-collision scan results, represented byfine dashed lines, an alert process flow represented by dash-dot lines,and systems communications represented by coarse dashed lines.

In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 8, tool real time telemetry 802transmitted by the telemetry transmitter 42 is received by the fieldcomputer 46 and decoded 804, the latter typically being a function ofthe DMS 406. In one embodiment, MS 416 notifies the alert agent 402 thatsurvey points in a survey have changed or have been updated. In oneembodiment, the alert agent 402 invokes the anti-collision service 412,which performs an anti-collision analysis and produces a scan report502. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 returns the scanreport 502 to the alert agent 402. In one embodiment, the alert agent402 analyzes the scan report 502 to determine if it is different from aprevious scan report (in one embodiment, the most recently receivedprevious scan report). In one embodiment, if the scan report isdifferent, the alert agent sends the report to DMS 406 and theanti-collision advisor 414 displays the scan report 502 on the displaydevice 306. In one embodiment, if the scan report 502 indicates a dangerof a collision (such as that shown in FIG. 2), the anti-collusionadvisor 414 displays an alert announcement on the display device 306and/or other display and sound devices (not shown). In one embodiment,the alert announcement includes the words “Collision Alert” or similarwords and includes other visual, audible, and/or sensory indicatorsintended to draw the attention of operators, such as bright colors,flashing graphics, vibrations and/or alarm sounds.

In one embodiment, in addition to displaying the alert announcement onthe display device 306, the field computer transmits an alert message tothe mobile device 48 through the wireless network(s) 50 causing themobile device 48 to display an alert announcement, as illustrated inFIGS. 9A (in which mobile device 48 is a cellular telephone), 9B (inwhich mobile device 48 is a tablet), and 9C (in which mobile device 48is a laptop computer). In one embodiment, the alert announcementincludes the words “Collision Alert” or similar words and includes othervisual, audible, and/or sensory indicators intended to draw theattention of users of the mobile device 48, such as bright colors,flashing graphics, alarm sounds, and/or vibrations. In one embodiment,the visual alert announcement is superimposed over other data from thewell being drilled that is being displayed on the mobile device, asshown in FIGS. 9A-9C.

In use, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a processor, such as field computer46, coupled to instruments, such as one or more components in bottomhole assembly 26, in the well being drilled, such as borehole 20,receives survey data for the well being drilled, such as borehole 20,(block 1002) and determines that the well being drilled, such asborehole 20, is in danger of colliding with a second well, such assecond borehole 202, (block 1004) and transmits a message warning of thedanger to the mobile device, such as mobile device 48 (block 1006). Inone embodiment, the transmission is over the wireless network(s) 50.

In one embodiment, the mobile device, such as mobile device 48, receivesthe message over the wireless network(s) 50 (block 1008). In oneembodiment, the mobile device, such as mobile device 48, displays anannouncement of the danger of the well being drilled colliding with asecond well on a graphical user interface of the mobile device (block1010).

The word “coupled” herein means a direct connection or an indirectconnection.

The text above describes one or more specific embodiments of a broaderinvention. The invention also is carried out in a variety of alternateembodiments and thus is not limited to those described here. Theforegoing description of an embodiment of the invention has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention belimited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claimsappended hereto.

1. A method comprising: receiving a message by a field computer, themessage including an alert that a first well, which is a well beingdrilled, is in danger of colliding with a second well; the fieldcomputer sending the message via a third party wireless network to amobile device; and displaying an announcement reflecting the alert on aremote graphical user interface of the mobile device and on a displaydevice coupled to the field computer.
 2. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: a processor coupled to instruments in the well being drilleddetermining that the first well is in danger of colliding with thesecond well; and the processor transmitting the message to the mobiledevice.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining that the first wellis in danger of colliding with the second well comprises: an alert agentbeing executed by the processor receiving a notification that a surveyof the first well has been modified; the alert agent invoking ananti-collision service to produce a scan report for the first well; thealert agent receiving the scan report; the alert agent determining thatthe scan report is different than a previous scan report received fromthe anti-collision service, and as a result, processing theanti-collision scan report.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein processingthe anti-collision scan report comprises: the processor displaying thescan report on a local graphical user interface; and the processordetermining that the scan report includes an alarm condition.
 5. Themethod of claim 4 further comprising: the processor transmitting themessage as a result of determining that the scan report includes analarm condition.
 6. The method of claim 2 wherein the processortransmits the message to the mobile device by way of the third-partynetwork.
 7. A computer program stored in a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium, the computer program comprisingexecutable instructions that cause: a field computer to receive amessage, the message including an alert that a first well, which is awell being drilled, is in danger of colliding with a second well; thefield computer to send the message via a third party wireless network toa mobile device; and the mobile device to display an announcementreflecting the alert on a remote graphical user interface of the mobiledevice and on a display device coupled to the field computer.
 8. Thecomputer program of claim 7 further comprising executable instructionsthat cause: a processor coupled to instruments in the well being drilledto determine that the first well is in danger of colliding with thesecond well; and the processor to transmit the message to the mobiledevice.
 9. The computer program of claim 8 wherein, determining that thefirst well is in danger of colliding with the second well comprisesexecutable instructions that cause: an alert agent being executed by theprocessor to receive a notification that a survey of the first well hasbeen modified; the alert agent to invoke an anti-collision service toproduce a scan report for the first well; the alert agent to receive thescan report; the alert agent to determine that the scan report isdifferent than a previous scan report received from the anti-collisionservice, and as a result, to process the anti-collision scan report. 10.The computer program of claim 9 wherein processing the anti-collisionscan report comprises executable instructions that cause: the processorto display the scan report on a local graphical user interface; and theprocessor to determine that the scan report includes an alarm condition.11. The computer program of claim 10 further comprising executableinstructions that cause: the processor to transmit the message as aresult of determining that the scan report includes an alarm condition.12. The method of claim 8 wherein the executable instructions cause theprocessor to transmit the message to the mobile device by way of thethird-party network.
 13. An apparatus comprising: a processor to:receive survey information from a drill string drilling a firstborehole, process the received survey information and wellbore dataabout a second borehole, determine that the drill string in the firstborehole is in danger of colliding with the second borehole, andtransmit an alert via a third-party network, display the alert on aprocessor graphical user interface coupled to the processor; and amobile device comprising a graphical user interface, the mobile deviceto receive the alert via the third-party network and display anannouncement regarding the danger of collision on the mobile devicegraphical user interface.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 furthercomprising: an engineering data model to provide the wellbore data aboutthe second borehole.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:an anti-collision service being executed by the processor to determinethat the drill string in the first borehole is in danger of collidingwith the second borehole.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13 furthercomprising: an alert agent executing on the processor that coordinatesthe software components involved in determining that the drill string inthe first borehole is in danger of colliding with the second borehole.